Instant Pot Filipino Pork Menudo

When I want to cook a quick meat-and-potatoes meal, the Filipino Instant Pot Pork Menudo is just the thing. It’s a tomato sauce-based stew that is a constant on our dinner rotation. This is also the kind of dish that can transcend from a family entrée to party fare any time of the year. I have seen this dish served at Philippine town fiestas, fed to a multitude of guests.

There is something in the dish for everyone. The meat and vegetables cook quickly in the Instant Pot multi-cooker in a high-pressure cooker setting. The tomato’s tartness turns to a sweet flavored gravy. The uniformed cubes of pork, potatoes and carrots plus the crunchy garbanzos (chick peas) appeals to all.

Menudo is a recipe I learned to cook from my mother when we lived in the Philippines. It was one of the early dishes I made a lot when I was newly-married. As my sons grew up, they enjoyed it for the sweet tasting sauce base which was splendid when poured on rice. And today, I’m cooking it again, an updated version in the current kitchen appliance favorite, the Instant Pot – a timesaver for me.

The Filipino Pork Menudo has a rich history and can be traced to origins from Mexico. I’ve written about the Pinoy menudo’s interesting background on a previous article for American Food Roots. And like I have said before, I cannot claim this recipe to be exclusively mine alone. Many Filipino generations before me have been cooking menudo. In our family, the recipe has been passed around so much, we can’t recall who cooked it first. Whatever version, menudo is the kind of dish that brings family and friends from all over together at the table in joy and gratitude.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Filipino Pork Menudo

This Instant Pot Filipino Pork Menudo is a stew of cubed pork in a sweet tomato sauce base. The pork is cooked with hearty potatoes, carrots, chickpeas and bell peppers. There is something wonderful about the flavors, and aromas of tomatoes stewed in garlic and onions with the succulent pork and vegetables. Serve with rice. This is an Asian in America recipe.

*I also offer the classic way to cook this menudo in the procedure below in case you prefer not to use the Instant Pot.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino, Mexican

Keyword: Filipino Instant Pot Pork Menudo

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Asian in America - Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

• Instant Pot or any brand of multicooker that cooks in high or low pressure: 3, 6, or 8 quarts.
• Instant Pot recommended silicone oven mitts; long cooking spoons in metal or silicone.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, fat trimmed cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium-sized onion chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 medium-sized potatoes peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium-sized carrot peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large red or green bell pepper cut into 1-inch cube pieces
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs plain flavor
• 1/2 cup canned chick peas or garbanzos liquid drained
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas thawed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
• boiled rice for serving

Instructions

• In a bowl, marinate the cubed pork with the soy sauce and lemon juice. Cover with plastic and set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

To cook in the Instant Pot

• Click Saute. Add the oil to the inside pot. In 1 to 2 minutes when oil is hot, saute the garlic and onions for 2 minutes.

  Add the pork cubes together with the marinade. Mix around to braise the pork for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Hit Cancel to turn off the Saute function.

  Pour the broth and the tomato sauce. Add the potatoes, carrots, bell pepper and bread crumbs. Stir to blend all ingredients.
• Close and lock the lid. Set valve to Sealing.

  Press Manual/High Pressure and set timer to cook for 10 minutes.
• When timer buzzes, click Cancel. Do a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) by turning the valve to face you. Wait 3 to 5 minutes for pressure to come down on its own.

  Open lid carefully.
• Add the chick peas (garbanzos) and green peas. Season with salt and black pepper. Mix ingredients.

  Close the lid and lock it. Press Keep Warm for the chick peas and green peas to cook 2 minutes more with the rest of the ingredients. 

  Click Cancel to turn off.
• Serve warm with boiled rice. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes on the Instant Pot

• After the initial Saute, it takes about 17 minutes for the Instant Pot to preheat before the High Pressure cooking time begins. For other multi-cooker brands, please consult the product manual. 

To cook on the stove-top

• In a large skillet or wok, over medium high heat, add the oil. Saute the garlic and onions. Add the pork with the marinade. Braise for 5 minutes till pork is brown.

  Pour the broth and tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes till pork is tender.

  Add the potatoes, carrots, bell peppers and bread crumbs to the pork mixture. Cover and continue cooking for 8 minutes more till vegetables are soft.

  Add the garbanzos and green peas. Cook for 2 minutes more. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve warm garnished with parsley.

Cook's comments:

• If pork shoulder is not available, you can use boneless pork chops, sliced across the grain and cut into 1-inch cubes. 

  Most classic Filipino pork menudo recipes have chicken or pork liver. It is not readily available in my neighborhood supermarket so I don't include it in this recipe version.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1122mg | Potassium: 611mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2550IU | Vitamin C: 21.6mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe? I have more Filipino Instant Pot recipes in my newest cookbook Instant Filipino Recipes: My Mother’s Traditional Philippine Cooking in A Multicooker Pot. Buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com – sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

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Disclosure: Instant Pot is the brand name of a multi-cooker that cooks in high and low pressure. I was not paid by the Instant Pot company to mention the product or brand nor endorse it. This is not an ad. My views and opinions are my own.